Musical instruments of the oboe, bassoon and clarinet types



ATTO KNEY INVENTOR. R07 Jackson L/nfon 5/:

BY (WW4 Mr R. J. LINTON, SR

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE OBOE, BASSOON AND CLARINET TYPES Filed NOV- 14, 1963 Aug. 9, 1966 United States Patent 3,264,925 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE OBGE, BASSOUN AND CLARINET TYPES Roy Jackson Linton, r., Elkhart, Ind., assignor to Linton Manufacturing Company, Elkhart, Ind. Filed Nov. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 323,756 6 Claims. (Cl. 84-380) This invention relates to musical instruments of the oboe, bassoon and clarinet types.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a musical instrument of this type comprising two or more body members formed of thermoplastic material with coupling means which is entirely concealed and at the same time capable of withstanding severe handling stresses.

Second, to provide a musical instrument of this type which includes a plurality of keys provided with fingerpieces disposed generally on the upper sides of the body member and having a thumbpiece molded integrally therewith projecting downwardly therefrom and positioned for engagement by an operator with fingers in key manipulating position.

Third, to provide an instrument of this type including a body member having a thumbpiece moulded integrally therewith and merging into the body member and positioned for engagement by the thumb of an operator with the fingers disposed in key manipulating position.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a musical instrument of the oboe type embodying my invention, only a portion of the mouthpiece being illustrated.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view illustrating structural details of my invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of parts of my-invention illustrated in FIG. 2.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises an inner body member 1 and an outer body member 2 formed of thermoplastic material which is conventionally illustrated. These body members are provided with a plurality of ports 3 and a plurality of keys 4 provided with fingerpieces designated generally by the numeral 5. The details of these valves and their fingerpieces and the mounting of the fingerpieces are not illustrated as they form no part of my present invention except that they are positioned on the upper sides of the body member.

The outer body member 2 has an annular coupling socket 6 of uniform diameter of substantial width in its inner end. The inner body member has a coupling member 7 of uniform diameter disposed in fitting telescoping engagement with the socket 6, see FIG. 3. The coupling member 7 has a peripheral groove 8 of substantial width in which the annular friction sleeve 9 is fittingly engaged, see FIG. 3. The outer body member has an external groove 10 in which the reinforcing sleeve 11 is disposed. This reinforcing sleeve 11 performs the double function of reinforcing the coupling unit and provides an ornamentation concealing the coupling unit. As stated, the body members are formed of thermoplastic material which is conventionally illustrated in FIG. 3.

The outer body member has a thumbpiece 12 moulded integrally therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom adjacent but in outwardly spaced relation to the coupling means with the inner end of said body member as illustrated in the drawing. This coupling member has a downwardly and transversely curved inner surface 13 and a substantially flat or planer outer surface 14. It will be appreciated that it is engageable from either the front or rear side according to the hand manipulation of the operator, as shown by dotted lines 15, see FIG. 1.

I have illustrated and described my invention in an oboe type of musical instrument but it will be understood that it may also be embodied in musical instruments of the bassoon, clarinet and like types. However, an important feature is that the body members are formed of nonmetallic plastic material and have the thumbpiece integral therewith which is not only desirable from the use standpoint but from the production standpoint and also from. the standpoint of appearance and manufacturing cost.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations or embodiments which I contemplate, as I believe this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A musical instrument of the class described comprising inner and outer tubular body members formed of thermoplastic material, each body member being provided with a plurality of key openings and with keys provided with fingerpieces disposed generally at the upper sides of the body members, the outer body member having an annular coupling unit socket of uniform diameter and of substantial width in its inner end, the inner body member having a coupling member disposed in fitting telescoping engagement within said socket and having an external annular groove of substantial width and a friction sleeve fittingly engaged in said groove, the outer body member having an external groove at its inner end and having an annular reinforcing sleeve fittingly disposed in said groove, said outer body member having a thumbpiece moulded integrally therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom adjacent but outwardly spaced from said coupling means at its inner end.

2. A musical instrument of the class described comprising inner and outer tubular body members formed of thermoplastic material, each body member being provided with a plurality of key openings and with keys provided with fin-gerpieces disposed generally at the upper sides of the body members, the outer body member having an annular coupling unit socket of uniform diameter and of substantial width in its inner end, the inner body member having a coupling member disposed in fitting telescoping engagement within said socket, said outer body member having a thumbpiece moulded integrally therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom adjacent but outwardly spaced from said coupling means at its inner end.

3. A musical instrument of the class described comprising inner and outer tubular body members formed of thermoplastic material, each body member being provided with a plurality of key openings and with keys provided with fingerpieces disposed generally at the upper sides of the body members, the outer body member having an annular coupling unit socket of uniform diameter and of substantial width in its inner end, the inner body member having a coupling member disposed in fitting telescoping engagement within said socket and having an external annular groove of substantial width and a friction sleeve fittingly engaged in said groove, the outer body member having an external groove at its inner end and having an annular reinforcing sleeve fittingly disposed in said groove.

4. A musical instrument of the class described comprising inner and outer tubular body members formed of thermoplastic material, each body member being provided with a plurality of key openings and with keys provided with fingerpieces disposed generally at the upper sides of the body members, said body members having unitary telescopingly engageable coupling members, said outer body member having a thumbpiece moulded integrally therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom adjacent but outwardly spaced from said coupling means for said body members.

5. A musical instrument of the class described comprising inner and outer tubular body members formed of thermoplastic material, each body member being provided with a plurality of key openings and with keys provided with fingerpieces disposed generally at the upper sides of the body members, said body members having unitary telescopingly engageable coupling members, said outer body member having a thurnbpiece moulded integrally therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom and positioned for engagement by the thumb of an operator Wiih fingers in key manipulating position.

6. A musical instrument of the class described including a tubular body member formed of thermoplastic material and provided with a plurality of key openings and with keys provided with fingerpieces disposed generally at the upper side of the body member, said body memher having a thum-bpiece moulded integrally therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom and positioned for engagement by the thumb of an operator with fingers in key manipulating position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,061,928 11/1936 Albrecht 84-380 X 2,791,145 5/1957 Christensen 84-382 2,803,983 8/1957 Dowling 84-380 X 2,821,102 1/1958 Leblanc 84-382 2,847,892 8/1958 Laas et al. 84-380 2,933,968 4/1960 Hearne 84-380 FOREIGN PATENTS 628,268 8/ 1949 Great Britain.

LOUIS I. CA'POZI, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

CHARLES M. OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF THE CALSS DESCRIBED COMPRISING INNER AND OUTER TUBULAR BODY MEMBERS FORMED OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL, EACH BODY MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF KEY OPENINGS AND WITH KEYS PROVIDED WITH FINGERPIECES DISPOSED GENERALLY AT THE UPPER SIDES OF THE BODY MEMBERS, THE OUTER BODY MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR COUPLING UNIT SOCKET OF UNIFORM DIAMETER AND OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH IN ITS INNER END, THE INNER BODY MEMBER HAVING A COUPLING MEMBER DISPOSED IN FITTING TELESCOPING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN SAID SOCKET AND HAVING AN EXTERNAL ANNULAR GROOVE OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH AND A FRICTION SLEEVE FITTINGLY ENGAGED IN SAID GROOVE, THE OUTER BODY MEMBER HAVING AN EXTERNAL GROOVE AT ITS INNER END AND HAVING AN ANNULAR REINFORCING SLEEVE FITTINGLY DISPOSED IN SAID GROOVE, SAID OUTER BODY MEMBER HAVING A THUMBPIECE MOULDED INTEGRALLY THEREWITH AND PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM ADJACENT BUT OUTWARDLY SPACED FROM SAID COUPLING MEANS AT ITS INNER END. 